22 Oct Winterize Your San Antonio Home: Some Tips for the Heating Season

Winter is near, and for many San Antonio homeowners that means enjoying the holiday season, sipping hot chocolate by the fire, and, unfortunately, having anxiety about high heating bills.

Heating bills tend to rise most in the middle of cold months, but you may be able to lower your bills if you start planning now.

Winterizing your home is a fantastic way to reduce your energy costs and keep your home warm this winter. Get prepared with a few great tips for the heating season:

Seal up air leaks. Air leaks are a common problem, more so in older homes. Spend some time searching for gaps or cracks near your windows, electrical outlets, baseboards and doors, and be sure to seal them with caulk or weather stripping. Spray-foam can be used for larger cracks. Schedule a home energy evaluation for assistance if you need help locating leaks.

Get your furnace checked. Many homeowners can believe that their furnace doesn’t need maintenance unless there’s an obvious problem, but all HVAC systems can benefit from yearly maintenance. Have a professional technician check your furnace before the cold hits to ensure it’s running efficiently and there aren’t problems.

Inspect your ducts. Duct leaks are very wasteful, and can keep your house from maintaining a comfortable temperature in the winter. Have your ducts inspected to be sure everything is tightly sealed.

Insulate your windows. Fall is a great time to buy storm windows, which can help keep drafts out this winter. If the cost of storm windows isn’t in your budget, try a weatherization kit, which includes materials to seal windows with plastic sheeting.

Add insulation. Don’t put off adding insulation to walls and the attic. Now is the time to go ahead and do it. You could save money this winter just by insulating areas that are letting the cold in. You may be able to insulate other areas, like the attic, by yourself.